Goal.com 50: Arjen Robben (44)

  45. Mohamed Aboutrika (Al Ahly & Egypt)

44. ARJEN ROBBEN (Real Madrid & Netherlands)

43. Mesut Ozil (Werder Bremen & Germany)

There was a lot of expectation and pressure on Arjen Robben’s shoulders when the 2008/09 season kicked-off.

As a result of Robinho’s surprise departure from Real Madrid, the Dutch winger was immediately touted as the next big superstar in line for the team, the one player who could single-handedly elevate the club back to great heights.

But not only that, he had to step up his game considerably after a mediocre first season at the Santiago Bernabeu following his mammoth €36 million move from Chelsea in 2007, while at the same time prove his critics wrong and show that he has finally overcome his incessant injury misery.

Things didn’t start off smoothly for the 25-year-old, though, and despite lifting the Spanish Supercopa in the curtain raiser against Valencia, he looked ordinary in that two-legged match and in most of the games in the first half of the season. Along with the rest of his Blancos team-mates, they struggled to find any inspiration in their performances and Robben’s insipid displays were highlighted even more due to the fact that he was supposed to be the side’s main creative force.

The good news, however, was that he was stringing together a decent amount of games and the hard work that he put in to improve his fitness would be there for all to see later on in the campaign.

Indeed, a sweeping change would arrive, aptly enough, in the new year. Bernd Schuster was relieved of his Bernabeu coaching duties in early December and in came Juande Ramos. And one of the first things that the man from La Mancha did was switch Robben over from the left wing to the right flank.

From December 10 to January 18 in a span of five competitive games, the Oranje attacker was easily los Merengues’ best player as he scored four goals and made three assists to help resurrect the team’s season. And even though he wasn’t able to sustain that stunning ratio till the end of the campaign, he continued to bang in some explosive and dazzling performances as he started to look like the world-class winger that many pundits and punters had expected him to blossom into.

Man of Class | A fully fit Robben fires past Depor

The only criticism that he received during this period was that he had become too self-centred, often going for glory himself when it would have been better to set-up a team-mate instead. This caused a momentary rift with compatriot and striker, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who accused him of being selfish, but who could blame Robben. With his confidence riding high and with the kind of form he was in, you would expect no less from the flamboyant showman.

Arjen ended the season with a respectable seven goals, his second highest ever haul, and six assists in 29 league outings, also one of his better tally of appearances in his professional career. But staying healthy and reaching that elusive level of consistency is still something that he needs to strive for if he is to become one of the best wingers in the world.

Based on the number of games he played last season, the early signs are that Robben has finally put all his long-term injury nightmares behind him and he’s ready to dispose of the ‘Glass Man’ tag. And it couldn’t come too soon, especially with the 2010 World Cup fast approaching.

2008-09 HONOURS

KS Leong, Goal.com

  45. Mohamed Aboutrika (Al Ahly & Egypt)

44. ARJEN ROBBEN (Real Madrid & Netherlands)

43. Mesut Ozil (Werder Bremen & Germany)